New Tigers shirt unveiled

Posted on Apr 27, 2012 in English Rugby, Leicester, Leicester Tigers, Premiership

Leicester Tigers have unveiled their 2012/13 playing shirt, together with fans replica kits. The official replica Leicester Tigers Home Pro Rugby jersey features the new ‘loop 21′ neck design with sublimated lower body and shoulders with taping detail. The body of the shirt sports the iconic tiger stripes towards the lower torso and sponsor logos printed onto the chest area. The club logo can be found on the upper left chest of the jersey. Completing this new Tigers jersey for 2012 is contrasting white taping throughout and Caterpillar sponsor branding printed onto the back and sleeves making this a must have for any Tigers fan.

Newcastle reveal new playing shirt

Posted on Apr 19, 2012 in emb, English Rugby, Newcastle Falcons, Premiership

Newcastle Falcons have exclusively unveiled their brand new playing shirt ahead of this Friday’s Aviva Premiership humdinger with Saracens at Kingston Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

Falcons players Jimmy Gopperth, James Fitzpatrick and Greg Goosen were all on hand to model the new shirt at a media launch held at the picturesque setting of Close House Hotel.

The brand new shirt for the 2012-13 season which is supplied by Tyneside-based sportswear company Orion Teamswear will be worn for the £10 a ticket Saracens match.

The national and local media including Sky Sports News, ESPN and BBC Look North descended on the club’s shirt sponsor Close House to get their first glimpse of the jersey, and get the inside track on the Falcons as Saracens looms large.

As part of the sponsorship arrangement the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) features on the back of the shirt.

And children from the CHUF were present at the launch, with director of rugby Gary Gold and his players interacting with them during their media duties.

Gold said: “From a humanitarian point of view we have got CHUF involved and it is great that Newcastle Falcons can get right behind the charity and help the little kids.

“If we can do that by getting the name out there and raise a little bit of money on game day, creating awareness then that would be great.”

South African Gold, who has steered his side to back-to-back victories over Sale Sharks and Gloucester, is appealing for a 10,000 plus crowd under the lights of Kingston Park.

“Ticket sales have been absolutely outstanding so far and there are only a handful of tickets left,” said Gold.

“I am asking the North East people to turn up in their droves and come and support the club at £10 a ticket. We have received outstanding support in recent weeks and that backing is never taken for granted,” he added.

A third straight victory for the northeasterners would put them level on points with London Wasps at the foot of the Premiership tree with the men from the capital travelling to Bath the following day.

New England kit

Posted on Aug 1, 2011 in England, English Rugby

NIKE today unveiled the England Rugby team playing kits for the 2011-12 season.

For the first time the home kit (shirt, shorts and socks) is 100% white, whilst the new change kit is in complete contrast – a 100% black design, with the iconic English red rose standing bold and proud on both shirts.

Both kits feature head-to-toe innovation, with Nike technology at the very heart of the design to give players every advantage on the field.  Every element of the playing kit has been tailored and improved to reflect player feedback from past seasons to make this the most complete England Rugby kit to date.

Rugby Football Union Chief Commercial Officer Sophie Goldschmidt said: “We are delighted with the new kits which will keep England at the forefront of rugby design and innovation thanks to our long-standing relationship with Nike. We believe both kits will be very popular with supporters in what is an exciting year for English and global rugby.”

Marc Van Pappelendam, General Manager Nike UK & Ireland said: “The classic new white home kit and the contrasting black change kit are our most innovative and bold playing kits created for the England squad.
“As the world’s leading sports brand we wanted to inspire the team with our bold designs, whilst ensuring that our innovation in apparel gives players added performance benefits on the pitch to give them the advantage.”

The tight-fitting playing shirt is made of Nike Dri FIT fabric – a technology engineered to provide sweat management for athletes, pulling moisture away from the body to optimize player temperature and help them keep them cool and dry.  All materials are strength-tested at Loughborough University to ensure they remain strong but flexible on game day to prevent tearing.

Based on player feedback, the collar has elastic within the neckline for the first time, keeping the neckline as close to the body as possible to help prevent shirt pulling whilst providing comfort.  There is also a silicone gripper at the hemline of the playing shirt to help keep it tucked in and close to the body.  The silicone hem features the word England in its design.

The clean white home shirt design features a subtle matt/gloss white check pattern on the front panel of the shirt whilst the change shirt has a matt/gloss black check in the same area.

The gripper panels on the shirt, to give players more control of the ball are now across the shoulders, pectoral area and stomach area of the shirt and arranged in a check pattern.

The iconic rose emblem is made from Nike Considered (recycled) yarn and heat-applied to the shirt to avoid puncturing and weakening the fabric.

For the first time the shorts feature a new flock hand dry print to help players keep hands dry during games.  And the socks, which feature support material for the first time, have a no-contact toe seam and enhanced fit footbed to reduce blisters and improve comfort.

The new white kit will be worn when England play Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, August 13 and again against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on August 27.

The new change kit will be worn for the first time when England play Wales at Twickenham Stadium in the Investec International on August 6 and again against Argentina in Dunedin on September 10 due to a clash with the light blue and white of the Pumas.

Fans can pre-order the replica IRB Rugby World Cup and O2 branded kits from www.rfudirect.com  or www.nikestore.com/rugby and they will be available in stores from Friday, August 5.

Davey is over the Noone

Posted on May 23, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby Brett Davey is delighted with his new signing, Michael Noone, as he comes close to completing his squad for the 2011-12 RFU Championship season.

Noone, a player with a recognized huge potential within the Irish Rugby community has committed to the Knights’ banner alongside several other Irish players for the next season. As well as representing Blackrock College RFC, a club current Knights Flanker Zack Farivarz also played for, the 22 year old was part of the Leinster A setup, Leinster Academy and Ireland Schools. As part of his development Noone also represented Ireland at U19 and U20 level.

The 6’ 4” , 17 and a half stone back row player can comfortably cover the number 6 or 8 shirt and is known for his strong , and quick , running with the ball and has an eye for the try line.

Brett Davey gave us this comment about the player, “Michael is a player that impressed me, his desire to sign for Doncaster was so strong it made the discussions a pleasure. He is part of that blueprint I want for the knights next season, quick and efficient with real pride in wearing the shirt. It is also about the balance when you put him in the Back Row with the likes of Andy Boyde, Chris Planchant,

Zack Farivarz or Latu Makaafi. You have a group of players there who wear their hearts on their sleeve, all with their own individual talents.”

Rugby stars Sale Sharks team up with The Christie charity

Posted on Mar 9, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

 

Sale Sharks are teaming up with The Christie charity and will cement the relationship with a special one off charity rugby shirt.

The Christie charity’s new partnership with the rugby union premiership side was officially launched at an event last week where the shirt was previewed for the first time.

Sale Sharks will be playing their forthcoming Aviva Rugby at the Reebok game against London Irish on Saturday 16th April in the special shirt. The change of kit is to raise funds for The Christie in Manchester, one of Europe’s leading cancer centres. It features the Shark’s traditional colours of navy and white together with The Christie charity’s colour of dark red.

The initiative is part of an ongoing partnership with The Christie charity which started when players visited young cancer patients at the centre just before Christmas last year.

Mark Cueto, Andrew Sheridan, Matthew Tait, James Gaskell and Neil Briggs delivered Sale Sharks shirts and gifts to patients at The Christie’s teenage cancer unit.

The one off shirts that the players use at the Rugby at the Reebok game will then be auctioned off with proceeds going to The Christie. 400 replica shirts are also on sale with £5 from each sale going to the charity.

Sale Sharks chief executive Mick Hogan said; “We are absolutely delighted and privileged to be launching this association with The Christie charity. The centre does some amazing work and is a place that the whole of the north west is incredibly proud of.

“Playing in the special shirt will deliver both awareness and funding towards the continuing work of The Christie. We are very pleased with how it looks and I know how proud the players will be playing at the Reebok Stadium on 16th April with The Christie charity logo on their shirts.”

Head of corporate fundraising and sporting events at The Christie charity, Jenny Haskey, said; “We are honoured to welcome Sale Sharks as a new charity partner.

“Some of their star players were kind enough to visit our teenage cancer unit before Christmas and were a real hit with our patients.

“We hope this special shirt is the start of a winning partnership for The Christie charity and Sale Sharks both on and off the field.”

To buy the special one off replica shirt visit: https://shop.salesharks.com/product